Q & A with Spotlight Band Sparkplug

Sparkplug plays June 8

What is your most memorable moment on stage?As Sparkplug, I'd say perhaps a great show we did at Blue Note Jazz Club in the Village in NYC. We opened for John Scofield and it was pretty inspiring to hear him and then have him watch us.

Where is the first place you ever played for an audience?Sparkplug was at one point the backing band for the late, great Melvin Sparks (guitar). My first gig w/ him was at a little crunchy hippie festival in PA. Sparkplug's first gig was, I think, at Bishop's Lounge in Northampton, MA. After Melvin pass we just decided that his music was to inspiring to stop playing, so we didn't.

Where do you dream of playing?I'd love to do a big set at the New Orleans Jazz Festival or the North Sea Jazz Festival

What local artist do respect the most and why?"Local" for me is CT/MA/NY and I could go on for days! Up here in VT though, once we did a gig when Melvin was still alive with Dave Grippo and Brian McCarthy on horns. They were awesome. I just listened to the recording the other day, it was amazing!

What music or performers influence you?I go in waves, and I know we all do. Recently I've been really digging the 70s band "Stuff," but all more modern stuff like the Dirty Projectors and Tune-yards. When it comes to music in our style though it's easy: Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Lou Donaldson, Joey DeFrancesco, Rueben Wilson.

Why did you want to play the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival?I absolutely love coming to Burlington to play music and have been doing so for years. It's a very musical city; I play all the time at Nectar's and Higher Ground and almost always have really fun, well-attended shows. Despite the nearly 4 hour drive, it's just worth it to come. But during jazzfest it's a whole next level; people are out in droves and the city is all about music for a little while, it's fantastic

What do you think makes this festival so unique?Definitely its length and diversity. I love the breadth of the artists represented and how the festival is spread out over two weeks rather than a day long orgy

What is on your iPod or in your CD player?I switched to Spotify! And really, the answer for both is: EVERYTHING!

What's the best show you've ever scene?There's no single best I can think of. Pete Seeger was great. I saw a very memorable Medeski, Martin and Wood show a few years ago. I once saw William Parker at a loft in Boston and I'll never forget that either.

Where would you like to see the Burlington/Vermont Music scene go?Up and up and up! I hope it lives long and prosper.

Hillary Clinton did not have a State Department email account while she served as America's top diplomat, a senior state department official said Monday, and instead used a personal email account during her four years on the job.